Electrical pin tips

Abstract

The present invention relates to electrical terminal pins for use in interconnecting electrical leads, plated through holes in printed circuit boards and/or connector contacts and, in particular, to electrical terminal pin tips on insertion ends of the pins.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An electrical terminal pin tip for inserting into an electrical female terminal or a plated-through hole of a printed circuit board, the pin tip comprising: an electrically conductive layer; and   an electrically conductive core with an axis of symmetry, the core having: a non-plated substantially flat end having at least one edge; and   at least one curved side substantially plated with the conductive layer, each one of the at least one curved side extending from a corresponding one of the at least one edge away from the axis of symmetry.     
     
     
       2. The electrical terminal pin tip of claim 1, wherein the non-plated substantially flat end is substantially square with four edges. 
     
     
       3. The electrical terminal pin tip of claim 1, wherein the non-plated substantially flat end is substantially circular with only one circular edge. 
     
     
       4. The electrical terminal pin tip of claim 1, wherein the non-plated substantially flat end is substantially perpendicular to the axis of symmetry. 
     
     
       5. The electrical terminal pin tip of claim 1, wherein the curved sides are shaped substantially alike. 
     
     
       6. The electrical terminal pin tip of claim 1, wherein the conductive layer entirely covers each one of the curved sides at least from a perimeter near the pin tip to half way along the side to the non-plated end. 
     
     
       7. The electrical terminal pin tip of claim 1, wherein there is only one curved side and the side comprises a sphere or truncated ellipsoid. 
     
     
       8. The electrical terminal pin tip of claim 1, wherein each one of the curved sides is a convex portion of a cylinder. 
     
     
       9. An electrical terminal pin end portion for inserting in and electrically connecting to an electrical female terminal or a plated-through hole of a printed circuit board, the pin end portion comprising: an electrically conductive core with a longitudinal axis of symmetry and a perimeter about the longitudinal axis near an end of the pin end portion;   an electrically conductive layer plating the core perimeter; and   a pin tip comprising: a non-plated substantially flat end of the core, the end having at least one edge, and   at least one curved side substantially plated with the conductive layer, each one of the at least one curved side extending from a corresponding one of the at least one edge away from the longitudinal axis to the perimeter.     
     
     
       10. The electrical terminal pin end portion of claim 9, wherein the core perimeter is substantially square and the non-plated substantially flat end is substantially square. 
     
     
       11. The electrical terminal pin end portion of claim 9, wherein the core perimeter is substantially circular and the non-plated substantially flat end is substantially circular. 
     
     
       12. The electrical terminal pin end portion of claim 9, wherein the core perimeter is substantially circular and the non-plated substantially flat end is substantially square. 
     
     
       13. The electrical terminal pin end portion of claim 9, wherein the substantially flat end is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis. 
     
     
       14. The electrical terminal pin end portion of claim 9, wherein each one of the curved sides is a convex portion of a cylinder and the curved sides intersect the core perimeter at an angle tangent to the cylinder. 
     
     
       15. The electrical terminal pin tip end portion of claim 9, wherein there is only one curved side and the side comprises a truncated ellipsoid. 
     
     
       16. An electrical terminal pin for inserting in and electrically connecting to an electrical female terminal or a plated-through hole of a printed circuit board, the pin end portion comprising: an electrically conductive core with a longitudinal axis of symmetry and a perimeter about the longitudinal axis near an end of the pin;   a conductive layer plating the core perimeter; and   a first pin tip comprising: a non-plated substantially flat end of the core, the end having at least one edge, and   at least one curved side substantially plated with the conductive layer, each one of the at least one curved side extending from a corresponding one of the at least one end edge away from the longitudinal axis to the perimeter.     
     
     
       17. The electrical terminal pin of claim 16, further comprising a second pin tip comprising: a non-plated substantially flat end of the core, the end having at least one edge, and   at least one curved side substantially plated with the conductive layer, each one of the sides extending from a corresponding one of the flat end edges away from the longitudinal axis to the perimeter.